Shot shell dispenser



April 26, 1966 H. D. HULTERSTRUM 3,248,007

SHOT SHELL DISPENSER Filed Aug. 19, 1964 United States Patent 3,248,007 SHOT SHELL DISPENSER Harold D. Hulterstrum, Baraboo, Wis., assignor to Flambeau Plastics Corporation, Baraboo, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Aug. 19, 1964, Ser. No. 390,598 7 Claims. (Cl. 221-116) This invention relates to a dispenser for shot shells or the like which is comparatively simple and inexpensive and which facilitates the dispensing of one shot shell at a time, thereby facilitating gun loading operations of trap shooters and hunters.

One object of the invention is to provide a dispenser which will hold asV many as twenty-tive shells in a compact space and dispense them one at a time as required,

and which will also receive the empty shells.

Another object is to provide a dispenser of the character referred to having an escapement means adjacent the lower end thereof which `can be manually actuated to dispense one shell at a time in such manner that the shellv drops into the shooters hand as he actuates the escapement means.

A further object is to provide a dispenser which can be opened in such manner that the shot shells can be laid in position therein, and can be then closed whereupon the shells will be arranged automatically in a stacked -position for gravity feed from the lower end of the stack when the dispenser is properly supported as by being hung on the belt of the shooter.

Stillv a further object is to provide a dispenser comprising a pair of channel-shaped elements to receive the shells f when open, and a partition, the channel-shaped elements being hinged together and the partition being hinged to one of them so that all three can be folded over with the partition betwen the channels to separate the two stacks of shells for proper alternate dispensing from the channels when the escapement mechanism is subsequently operated. l

An additional object is to provide the channels with a detent means that permits reception of the empty shot shells to both dispose of the empties and provide for proper feed of the remaining shot shells, the detent means coacting with the empty shells to prevent undesirable dislocation thereof from the dispenser.

Another additional object is to provide a dispenser inexpensively formed of plastic material such as polypropylene wherein parts thereof are hinged together by thinned-downV sect-ions' of the plastic material, andthe parts are so designed that the partition is properly held in position between two stacks of shot shells, the housing for the shells being formed with a coacting detent means to hold the dispenserin closed position after it is lilled.

With these and other objects in View, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my shot shell dispenser, whereby the objects a'bove contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in detail on the accompanying drawing where- 1n:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a shot shell dispenser embodying my invention and showing it opened and lled with shot shells;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof position;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2 showing the open position by means of dotted lines;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged portions of FIG. 4 showing the hinging means for the dispenser housing in open posiin the closedl ICC tion, and by means of dotted lines in closed position, and

FIGS. 7 and 8 are enlargements of the lower end of FIG. 3 showing the escapement action for dispensing shells lfrom the housing.

On the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a lirst channel-shaped element and 12 a second channel-shaped element. These two elements form a dispenser housing, and a third element v14 forms a partition between two stacks of shot shells in the housing.

FIG. 1 shows the housing openend and the two channels, 10 and 12, filled with shot shells 15. The housing is adapted to be closed as in FIG. 2 whereupon the two stacks of shot shells 15 appear as in the sectional view FIG. 3. The channel-shaped elements a-re provided with curved lower ends 16 to construct the outlet as required :for an escapement gate 18 and 4an escapement lever 20 which form a T-shaped section of the partition 14 as will hereinafter appear.

Referring to FIG. 1 the escapement gate 18 is arranged in a gate clearance opening 21 of the partition' 14 and a .portion of the escapement lever is formed by slots 19 which terminate at hinge means 30 for the-escapement mechanism 18-20. The housing 10-'12-14 may be molded of a suitable plastic material such as polypropylene and the hinge means formed by thinned-down sections of the partition 14. A proper operating living hinge is provided by flexing the thinned-down Section immediately after molding. Similar thinned-down sections 24 and 26l are provided between the channel-shaped element 12 and the partition 14, and between the two channel-shaped elements 10 and 12 for providing hinges longitudinally of the housing for permitting it to be closed and opened Vas shown, for instance, in FIG. 4, the open position being shown 'by dotted lines. FIGS. 5 and 6 further illustrate the thinned-down sections 24 and 26 forming the hinge means.

The hinge means 24 is of a suitable cross section to form a groove 27 to receive the free edge of the parti- -tion 14, and the hinge means 26 is so formed that a detent 28 extending longitudinally of the free edge of the irst channel-shaped element 10 and coacting with the hinge 24 serves as a means to hold the dispenser in closed position.

For the convenience of the fnser of my shot shell dispenser, it is provided with a belt clip 34 shown in FIG. 3 whereby the dispenser maybe suspended from belt in a suitable position to facilitate removal of shot shells 15 therefrom.

The partition 14 is provided with an empty shell detent 22 which has a blade 23 connecting it to the partition. Slots 25 permit bending along a line indicated 32 which, however, is not a hinge as at 24-26-30. Accordingly, the blade 23 .and the detent 22 have sulcient stilness to retain empty shot shells in position against accidental disl'odgement from the dispenser, yet the detent permits insertion thereof by slight bending of the blade 23. The empty shot shells provide weight on the undispensed shells to properly dispense them and serve to keep the shells against being jostled out of alignment by movements of the shooter. The detent thereby insures proper dispensation of loaded shot shells until all have been used. y

Practical operalion In the operation of my shot shell dispenser, after it is filled as shown in FIG. 1 and closed as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shells 1'5 may be dispensed one at a time 'by the dispensing means 18-20. When both channels 10 and 12 are filled as in FIG. 1 theshells will assume the stacked positions shown in FIG. 3 and by swinging the escapement lever 20 toward the left from the posi- `tion shown action will take place as shown in FIG. 7, the

left side of the escapement gate 18 holding both stacks in position while dispensing the particular shot shell indicated at 15a. FIG. 7 shows the lever swung abouthalf way and FIG. 8 shows it swung all the way. In FIG. 7 the right-hand curved lower end 16 of the channel-shaped Velement 10 is holding the shell 15a against fallingout. Further movement of the escapement mechanism, however, to the position of FIG. 8 permits the shell to fall.

out as indicated at b and into the hand of the-shooter as hemanipulates the escapement mechanism. At the same time, the. gate 18` is so displaced toward the rright that the l-owermost shot shell 15 in the channel-shaped element 12fwill assume the position illustrated and be ready for dispensation.

The next dispensing operation consists of swingingthe escapement means 18-20 back to the original position of FIG. 3 which dispensesthe shotV shell 15c inthe same manner thatY the shot Shelli 15P was dispensed.

As` the shooter` removes empty shot shells from his gun hereplaces them inthe dispenser byv merely inserting themv into the top thereof and they are retained by the detent 22.

A dispenser of the character disclosed permits easy and proper filling when in the open position v(FIG. 1)v as distinguished from those types of dispensers in which the shells are dropped from the top end into channels. The simple arrangement of two stacksl of shells and escapement mechanism provide an easily operated arrangement for dispensing the shot shells rightfintoithe handof the.

shooter. The'cha'nnelshaped elements 10 and 12 are prof vided with olset portions 36 to .accommodate the aims of the shot shells which are loaded with the rims 17 opposite each other as yshown in FIG. 1' or with the rims toward each other depending on whether the shooter Vis righthanded or left-handed. When the dispenser is closed'both stacks of shells point inthe same direction.

The construction of the dispenser is such that it is readily-adaptable to plastic molding techniques and Vcan thereby be formed all in one piece without the necessity of hinging or otherwise attaching separate pieces together. Accordingly, the dispenser is comparatively inexpensive to produce and is relativelylight in weight.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangernent'ofV the parts of my shot shell dispenser'without departing fromthe real spirit and purposeV of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may reasonably be included within theirr scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a dispenser of the characterdisclosed, a vertically elongated housing having a pair of channels therein each adapted to receive a stack ofl shot shells or the like, said channels being side-by-side, a partition between them, and escapement meansy at the lower end of said channels adapted to release shot shells alternately from said channels upon successive oscillations thereof, said partition and said escapement means being formed of plastic material and being integral with each other, said escapement means being bingedly related to said parti- 2. A- shot shell dispenser according 'to claim 1 whereinV the upper ends of said channels are open to receive empty shot shells, and detent mea-ns lis provided to permit of such reception, said detent means being in the form of a ilexible detent blade integral with said partition and an enlargement along the outer margin of said blade.

3. In a dispenser of the character disclosed, a vertically elongated housing having a pair of channels therein, each adapted to receive a stack of shot shells or the like, said channels being side-by-side, escapement means at the lower end of said channels adapted to release shot shells alter-nately'from said channels upon successive oscillations thereof, said channels being channel-shapedv ielements .hinged together along the length thereof to -permit i opening of the dispenser and to. facilitate loading of said channels with shot shells, and a partition hinged to one of'said channelfshapedelements along the free edge there-` of to assume a position between the twochannel-shaped elements when the dispenser is closed;

4. A shot shell dispenser according toclaim 3 wherein said channel-shaped elements and. said partition areformed of plastic material and the hinge means comprise thinned-down sectionsV thereof.

5. A shot shell dispenser according to claim 3wherein ,I said channel-shaped elements are formed adjacent the hinge between them with a groove` to receive thefree edge of'said partition when the dispenser is closed.

`6. A shot shell dispenser according to claim 3 wherein;

the free edges lof Ysaid channebshaped elements are: formedewithcoacting detent means to hold the'dispensen i in closed position. f

7. IIn a dispenser of the character disclosed, a vertically; elongated housing having a pair of channels therein, each adapted to receive a stack of shot shells or the like, said' channels being side-by-side,` escapement means atA thef References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATESL PATENTS 957,13-5 5/l1910 Asbury. 1,548,670 8/'1925 'Echolsl 221-116 2,122,003 6/ 19318 Cooper 2.24-15 2,265,696 12/194-'1 Mullins 221-112 2,443,861 6/ 1948 Johnston 221-185 3,077,893 2/ 1963l -Hilton 221-112 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,292,509 3/1962 France.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SOBlN, Examiner. 

1. IN A DISPENSER OF THE CHARACTER DISCLOSED, A VERTICALLY ELONGATED HOUSING HAVING A PAIR OF CHANNELS THEREIN EACH ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A STACK OF SHOT SHELLS OR THE LIKE, SAID CHANNELS BEING SIDE-BY-SIDE, A PARTITION BETWEEN THEM, AND ESCAPEMENT MEANS AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CHANNELS ADAPTED TO RELEASE SHOT SHEELS ALTERNATELY FROM SAID CHANNELS UPON SUCCESSIVE OSCILLATIONS THEREOF, SAID PARTITION AND SAID ESCAPEMENT MEANS BEING FORMED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL AND BEING INTEGRAL WITH EACH OTHER, SAID ESCAPEMENT MEANS BEING HINGEDLY RELATED TO SAID PARTITION BY MEANS OF A THINNED-DOWN SECTION OF SAID PLASTIC MATERIAL. 